The Government of Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany this week signed a joint declaration of interest (JDI) to co-operate in the field of employment and labour.
In terms of the agreement signed between South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labour and Germany Labour & Social Affairs Department the two countries will co-operate in the following areas:
Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Boitumelo Moloi and Germany Labour & Social Affairs Deputy Minister Anette Kramme signed the JDI agreement in Kempton Park at Emperors Palace.
Moloi said the signing was a positive step towards addressing pivotal matters of labour and social protection. She said the exchange of best practices between the two nations holds promise for invaluable insights that will undoubtedly strengthen collaboration.
Furthermore, she said the signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent signifies a tangible step towards fostering enduring partnerships.
“I eagerly anticipate our discussions and the collective strides we will make towards advancing our shared objectives. We are honoured to host you as we formalise our fraternal bilateral relations dating back to when we were re-engineering our policies under the Skills Development dispensation. We remain grateful for our collaboration with Germany which has enabled us to improve services to our people.
“However, we acknowledge the ongoing challenges that necessitate the introduction of new legislation and policies to facilitate better service delivery. In 2009 our departments signed a Joint Declaration of Intent which enhanced our partnership at the national and international level, notably in the G20 and International Labour Organization. We emphasise the need to continue this partnership as we strive to ensure the realisation of decent work worldwide.
Moloi said with South Africa being host to the Presidency of Group of 20 in 2025, a responsibility the country eagerly anticipate was looking forward to German support to ensure its success.
The G20 as it is often called is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU). Its key mandate is to address major issues related to the global economy, international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
In regards to the JDI, she urged local officials to develop time-bound programs to facilitate its implementation following the signing.
“I hope preliminary discussions on an implementation plan, anchored through mutual consultation and agreement, have already commenced. Priority should be given to youth employment and provision of opportunities to our young people. We propose extending internship programme to send our young people to different economic sectors in Germany to gain valuable experience,” Moloi emphasised.
Kramme said the JDI should not only exist on a piece of paper, but should be accompanied by tangible deliverables. She said Germany was looking forward to the immediate implementation of the agreement so as to strengthen partnership for mutual benefit.
The two countries committed to resolve any dispute that may arise as part of the JDI through consultation or negotiation via diplomatic channels, exchange regular visits, and establish joint working groups to deal with matters identified in the cooperation.
The German visiting delegation which included officials from the embassy in South Africa paid a visit to the Department’s entity, the Supported Employment Enterprises (SEE) which provides employment to people with disability and also visited a labour centre. SEE manufactures personal protective equipment, school and general furniture, hospital linen among an array of products.
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Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour
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